


Unexpected Storm

by Karla_Writes



Series: SouMako Week [5]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, SouMako - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-02
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2018-02-11 10:47:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2065242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karla_Writes/pseuds/Karla_Writes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He wasn't used to someone who wore their heart on their sleeve and walked around with an almost angelic smile on their face. He wasn't used to a person like Makoto Tachibana, but he sure as hell wanted to get to know this person better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Aaand, this ship has taken hold of my heart. This is short, sweet, and with very little plot. I just really wanted to write a soumako fic.
> 
> Also posted to my tumblr: orcaliciousity
> 
> *UnBeta'd and most likely OOC*
> 
> **Do not repost anywhere else without permission.**

Sousuke grimaced and threw a weak glare to the dark, ominous clouds, as he came to a stop beside a green park bench. A few droplets of cool rainwater splashed against his head and the low roar of thunder spooked the pooch leashed to his hand. He bit back a chuckle at the poor pup's expense. After all, it wasn't the pup's fault Rin had him too sheltered. Too spoiled, too.

"Alright, alright, let's get out of here." Sousuke muttered to himself as the wind picked up, trees whooshing. He hadn't heard the news that morning, so he'd failed to see the prognosis of afternoon showers. Which, of course, now meant that he'd have to walk home, with a frightened mutt, in the pouring rain. He had known offering to mutt-sit Rin's _precious_ pup would come back to bite him in the ass. Gripping the leash around his hand a bit tighter, so as to not lose his grip, Sousuke began to jog toward the park's entrance gate. He watched as a few other disgruntled joggers scurried away under the disrupting rain. He glanced down at the running dog, now drenched and whining, and considered simply picking up the little thing so he could run faster. He was still mid-thought when the pup tugged at his leash, letting out a little bark. Sousuke tightened his grip again when the dog veered to the left, tugging on harshly the leash.

"Stop it, Koro." Sousuke said firmly, but it was useless. Something caught Sousuke's eye then. Through the heavy rain, he could see the silhouette of a person crouched over some bushes bunched together to his left. Curiosity seeped into him the closer he got. The dog was no longer barking, but was still urgently tugging at his leash. Sousuke drew closer and could now clearly see a man, a bit smaller than himself, frantically digging through the bushes. Another sharp clap of thunder echoed throughout and Koro yipped in fear. It was the dog's frightened bark that caused the man to swirl around, mud staining his clothes and hands.

Sousuke was speechless. The man's odd actions were one thing, but…well, he was rather good-looking, mud aside.

Sousuke's stupor was broken when a firm tug came from the leash, and, because of said stupor, his grip loosened and the damn mutt broke free. A soft gasp came from the stranger as the dog began sniffing around the bushes. Koro wedged himself between the muddy ground and the pointy branches of the bush, tail wagging back and forth. A shrill mewing pierced the air a few seconds later, causing the cowardly dog to flinch back and fall on his furry butt. Sousuke watched as the man broke into a wide smile, hurrying to the spot were Koro had just been. The man bent forward on his hands and knees and reached into the intertwining branches.

"Ah, thank goodness." Sousuke looked on, enraptured, as the man pulled a sopping wet kitten from the bush. The tiny thing cried out but stayed still against the man's chest. Koro stayed next to his legs, eyes glued to the man and the kitten, tail flicking in interest.

"It was a cat." Sousuke's befuddled mind could only articulate that. He cringed at how he must sound to the strange, good-looking man. Pretty green eyes fell on him, and Sousuke could only stare back, mesmerized.

"Thank you." The man's gentle voice traveled over the harsh sound of the rain that was still falling over them, somehow forgotten under the circumstances. The man's eyes fell on Koro and his smile grew. Lucky dog.

A particularly loud clap of thunder filled the air and reminded Sousuke of the raging storm. Koro squeaked and drew closer to him, and, with great surprise, Sousuke saw the man flinch at the sound as well.

"Would you like to wait out the storm at my place? It's not far from here." It was irrational to think the brunette would agree to such a thing, but it still didn't stop Sousuke from offering. The man bit his lip, brows furrowing, and glanced around the park. The kitten in his arms shook in either cold or fear, Sousuke couldn't be sure, before the man nodded.

…

"Sorry for the intrusion." Sousuke heard the man mumble as he entered his apartment. He took of his wet shoes and placed them next to Sousuke's own soggy pair.

"Let me get something to dry all of us off." Souske said more so to break the silence and retreated into his bedroom. He dug around his closet and found some towels he was sure were a prank gift from Gou. They were large, pink, and decorated with smiling strawberries. Sousuke sighed, reminding himself to never to piss off Rin's sister again.

When he returned to the living room, he found the man standing in the same spot, looking rather uncomfortable.

"Here you go." Sousuke said as he handed two folded towels to the man.

"Thank you." The soft voice replied. He saw the man stare down at the towel, lips quirking up a bit.

"You've been very kind." The brunette continued, toweling off the shivering kitten. "I don't even know your name." Green eyes stared down at Sousuke, causing the other to look away and down to the dog he was drying off.

"Yamazaki Sousuke." Sousuke replied, standing up when Koro trotted away.

"My name is Tachibana Makoto. It's very nice to meet you, Yamazaki-san." The smile he received was blinding.

"Sousuke's fine." Sousuke replied, his own lips curving upwards.

"Would you like to change your clothes? They must be getting uncomfortable." Sousuke had not known what else to say. However, it was only rational to ask if the man wanted to change from his cold, wet clothes.

"Oh, no, no that's fine. You've done enough with letting us stay here." Makoto shook his head, cheeks now clearly pink. Now, that just wouldn't do. Sousuke was extremely uncomfortable in his drenched clothes and wanted nothing more than to change out of them, so surely so must the other man. His modesty was reasonable, but would only succeed in giving him a nasty cold. Sousuke pressed on.

"It's really no trouble. Wait here and I'll also get something for you to lay down your kitten." Sousuke quickly returned to his room and picked a change of clothes and was lucky enough to find an old shoe-box. Minutes later the kitten was napping on the shoe-box, which Makoto had lined with the last clean towel, and Koro was standing watch over it, head drooping a little. Sousuke chuckled at the scene as he prepared some tea for himself and his guest, both now dressed in warm, dry clothes. Careful not to spill anything onto the floor, Sousuke made his way to the living room and set the two steamy cups of tea onto his center table. He sat on the couch opposite of Makoto, who was curled on the edge of the one-person sofa. The clothes Sousuke had lent him were a size too big, but they fit him nicely, at least Sousuke thought so.

"So, how did you wind up there today?" Sousuke finally asked, picking up his mug. He wasn't trying to pry, though he was a bit curious. Sousuke sipped at his tea and watched as the brunette fidgeted, a flush creeping up his neck. There was a pause, the only sound was of the rain hitting the window and the thunder rumbling by.

"I found her three days ago in that park. I wanted to take her with me, but my apartment complex doesn't allow pets. I brought her food everyday, but today...I didn't know it was going to rain this much. I thought...I thought I was too late when I couldn't find her." Makoto looked over to the snoozing kitten.

"If it hadn't been for your dog..." Makoto shook the thought away. "Thank you again, Sousuke-san."

"I never knew Koro had it in him to be such a mother-hen." Sousuke said while looking at the dog, who had fallen asleep next to the kitten's box. "He isn't mine, though. I was just looking after him today for friend. I'm glad we were there just at the right time." It had been a surprising coincidence, one that Sousuke was sure he wouldn't forget. The man in front of him was practically radiating.

"So," Sousuke cleared his throat, looking away from Makoto's kind smile. "You mentioned that your apartment complex doesn't allow pets, what will you do with the kitten then?" Makoto didn't answer right away. Sousuke peered up at the other when the silence stretched on for too long. The frown marring the man's face, was proof that he had no idea what he was going to in regards to the kitten.

"I don't know. I don't want to take her back to the park, but there's no way I could keep her. I've been searching for someone to take her in, but I haven't had enough time to search properly. I just want to find her a good home." The man's distressed voice tugged at something in Sousuke's chest. The man was kind and compassionate, more-so than Sousuke was used to seeing, aside from Rin. He wasn't used to someone who wore their heart on their sleeve and walked around with an almost angelic smile on their face. He wasn't used to a person like Makoto Tachibana, but he sure as hell wanted to get to know this person better. The silence dragged on, yet Sousuke was unable to speak, too caught up in his thoughts.

"Oi, Sousuke. For your sake, I hope you treated Koro-" The familiar voice broke through the silence as the front door swung open. Rin stopped at the threshold, frozen and eyes wide.

"Hey, Rin, get out of the way." Another voice rolled in with the first, also familiar yet a bit unwanted on Sousuke's part. What happened next, though, caught him completely by surprise.

"Rin? Haru?" Makoto stood from the couch, confused, with his head tilted slightly to the side.

"Makoto?" Haru stepped over Rin and came into the living room.

"What are you doing here?" All three spoke simultaneously, Sousuke would have laughed at the scene had he not been disappointed at having lost his alone time with Makoto. The disappointment bubbled in his chest, leaving him befuddled.

As it turned out, Makoto and Haruka, Rin's fish-obsessed boyfriend, were roommates, and apparently was quite protective of Makoto. If the not-so-subtle glares he was throwing Sousuke's way were any indication. Sousuke could understand Haruka's distrustful looks to an extent. He had not been thrilled when Rin had told him he was dating a swimmer from a rival school, Sousuke had thought the relationship would only distract Rin from his priorities, as a result he hadn't been the nicest person to Haruka when Rin first introduced them. He was no longer bothered by their relationship, but there was still some tension between Haruka and him.

"See, Koro is a good, smart boy." Rin cooed at the dog, sitting cross-legged on the floor. The pup was now wide awake and happily rubbed his nose against Rin's hand. Makoto chuckled at the scene, the white kitten now laying on his lap. Sousuke noticed that Haruka was the only one standing up, leaning against the sofa where Makoto was sitting.

"Makoto, what will you do with her?" Haruka asked, causing them all to fall silent. Makoto gazed down at the kitten and scratched her ears, clearly conflicted. It was ridiculous, really, for Sousuke too feel as if he had to do something to solve Makoto's predicament. Yet...yet he wanted to help him.

"I'll take her in, if you don't mind." Green eyes immediately found his, hopeful and bright. He ignored Rin's gaping look and Haruka's mild glare.

"Really?" Sousuke grinned, it came so naturally when faced with the man's joyful expression.

"Yeah, at least until you find a better home for her. I'm not really good with animals, you know, n-not that I won't be able to properly care for the kitten, it's just, I've never had a pet before and..." Sousuke was rambling. He felt his cheeks heat up at being caught in such an awkward situation. He had just not been able to stop his mouth in time. He thought he heard Rin snicker in the background, but was distracted by Makoto's soft voice.

"With all you've done today, I'm sure you will be great with her, Sousuke-san. I'll make sure to find someone else soon, so it won't be too much of a bother for you."

"You can come by and visit her while you do. I'm sure she'd like it." It came out abruptly, the words spilling from his mouth in a rush. Makoto's presence was doing some strange things to his usual cool demeanor. It was all worth while when the brunette smiled fondly at him, looking content and, to put it simply, _beautiful_.

Rin and Haru watched from the background, Haru now sitting next to Rin and Koro. They stared on, sure they were practically invisible to the two other occupants of the apartment. Rin leaned against Haru's shoulder, hand petting Koro lightly on the head.

"I'm pretty sure Makoto just seduced Sousuke." He whispered, not wanting to interrupt the scene before him.

"I don't like it." Haru whispered back, the words sounding more petulant than anything else. Rin rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. You know, it's gonna take them forever to actually get together. Makoto is oblivious beyond belief, and Sousuke is so wrapped up in his own head that it'll take them forever to realize they have feelings for each other." Rin's eyes softened as he watched Makoto hand over the fluffy white kitten to a nervous-looking Sousuke.

"When do you think they'll realize we're still here?" Haru asked, shifting closer to Rin. He looked on as Sousuke held on to the kitten, eyes glued to Makoto's mouth as the brunette explained the proper ways to treat a cat. Rin shrugged, biting back a laugh as he watched their two clueless friends.

"I should have introduced them sooner."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A confession is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of SouMako Week.
> 
> SouMako Week Day 5 - ~~Established Relationship~~ / Confession

Sousuke couldn’t help but chuckle as the little fluff of white tumbled after the piece of string. 

The tiny kitten had been with him a little over two weeks now, bringing with her endless entertainment. Sousuke had never felt any desire for a pet, not even as a child, but this kitten was easily winning him over. Kei-chan, Sousuke had suggested they named her. She’d been lucky, Sousuke had said, to have found Makoto. The name suited her beautifully. Makoto had beamed at him when he’d said that, and Sousuke was left mesmerized. 

Kei-chan mewed then, interrupting Sousuke’s thoughts. She had grown quite attached to him and often sought his attention. The times Makoto came over — which were often, much to Sousuke’s delight — Kei-chan would circle his legs and purr softly. 

Sousuke picked up the kitten and moved to his kitchen. He rummaged through his pantry in search of a can of cat food. He clicked his tongue when he realized that the one he’d found was the last one. He’d have to the store and buy some more. 

Sousuke placed Kei-chan down by her bowl and poured the contents of the can into it. He threw the can away, watching in amusement as the kitten gobbled her food down. Sousuke stretched and yawned, muscles straining and a little sore. He’d been pushing himself too hard with his training, but he couldn’t let up now that they were so close to a qualifying event. Throwing one last glance at the munching cat, Sousuke left his kitchen and headed for his bathroom, in desperate need of a hot bath.

…

The soft knocking on the door came right as he exited his bathroom, with only a towel wrapped around his waist and another resting on his head. Sousuke, mind still occupied with time standards and techniques, didn’t think twice of opening his door.

“Oh! Um…” The surprised gasp, finally brought him back to reality. 

Sousuke watched as Makoto’s gaze dropped to the floor, his face dusting with red. It was then that Sousuke realized his current state of undress. He moved away from the door in order for Makoto to step through, feeling just a tad self-conscious.

“I can come back, if you’re busy, Sousuke-san.” Makoto said as he shuffled inside. 

“No, it’s fine. Let me just go get changed.” Sousuke left hastily, unnerved, and with a familiar warmness spreading throughout his body. He changed quickly and tried to shake away the sensation building up in his stomach. A swirling mixture of excitement, embarrassment, and fear that left him feeling winded. It was silly, Sousuke was sure of it. Silly, because he hardly knew Makoto. It was silly because he could not possibly be developing any sort of feelings for a man he only knew for a few days. A physical attraction he could understand, after all Makoto was cute and had a great body, but…

What Sousuke felt for Makoto didn’t feel like just a purely physical attraction. 

Sousuke slowly made his way back to his living room, his ears picking up the faint words coming from Makoto. He stood back a little, not yet wanting to interrupt the scene before him. Makoto was sitting cross-legged on the floor as he played with the kitten. His smile widened when the kitten swatted at the cat toy, but instead of hitting it, the kitten tumbled over. 

“Her coordination isn’t very good.” Sousuke commented as he moved to Makoto’s side. The brunette smiled as Kei-chan began to nibble on his fingers.

“She sure has a lot of energy today.” 

“Every day… and at night too.” The tiny kitten had taken to attack his feet while he tried to catch some much needed sleep. 

“Ah, sorry about that.” A small frown marred Makoto’s face. Before Sousuke could tell him that he didn’t mind and that there was no need for him to apologize, Makoto spoke again, this time with a curve of his lips. 

“Actually, there’s this girl in my class that is interested in Kei-chan. I showed her some pictures after she mentioned that she wanted to get a kitten. She thought Kei-chan was really cute.” Makoto glanced up at Sousuke and offered a warm smile. 

Sousuke wasn’t sure how to respond. In the days he’d cared for the tiny kitten, Sousuke had grown to like having her at home. His apartment didn’t feel so empty with Kei-chan prancing about. He also liked the fact that he got regular visits from Makoto, even if those visits were only for the sake of Kei-chan. However, Sousuke knew that although now he had enough time to spend with the kitten, in a few days he’d go back to his erratic schedule and would most likely neglect Kei-chan. 

“Is there something wrong, Sousuke-san?” Makoto’s voice dragged Sousuke away from his thoughts. 

“No, it’s nothing. I’m glad you’ve found someone for Kei-chan.” Sousuke assured after seeing the worry in Makoto’s eyes. 

Makoto bent his head a little, his eyes dropping to the carpeted floor, “Thank you, Sousuke-san. Thank you for caring for Kei-chan all these days, you’ve been very kind.”  
His voice was soft, in a way Sousuke had not heard before. He wanted to keep hearing it, but after such heartfelt words, Sousuke could not find his voice. He just sat there, silently watching as Makoto resumed his play with Kei-chan. Soon, Makoto would take Kei-chan to her new owner. Soon, he would return to an empty, silent apartment. Soon, Makoto would no longer be a regular presence in his life. 

A twinge of sadness settled itself into Sousuke’s chest, slowly gnawing at his heart.

…

Sousuke gulped down the last bit of his orange juice before he sprinted to his front door. An early morning run was in order.  
However, his eyes grew wide when he saw who was standing just outside the door.

Dressed in casual clothing and with a backpack slinked over his shoulder, was Makoto. After he had taken Kei-chan to her new home, nearly two weeks ago, Makoto had not once shown his face. Sousuke, had considered calling the other man, but decided against it when his over-worked mind advised him to simply move past this odd event in his life. Makoto had come and gone like the storm that had caused them to meet. 

“Uh…um, h-hello, Sousuke-san.” Makoto eyes shifted every which way, not once landing on Sousuke. Sousuke stepped outside and closed the door behind him, eyes focused on the jittery brunette in front of him. 

“Hey.” Sousuke replied, unsure of what was going on. Had something happened to Kei-chan? Just as he was about to ask, Makoto stepped a little closer to him. At this distance, Sousuke couldn’t stop himself from admiring the strong yet gentle features of the man’s face. The greenness of his eyes, a green that resembled the color of the beginning of spring. 

“Th-there’s something…”

Sousuke watched as the man’s face colored, his fingers fidgeting with the strap of his backpack. 

“…I meant to tell you s-sooner…”

Makoto’s bottom lip was a little red, and darkened even more when he pulled it between his teeth. His lips looked soft, Sousuke noted.

“…you see, I, um…” 

He really was beautiful. Makoto was beautiful and kind and soft-hearted and Sousuke did not know how, but he wanted to keep him by his side. 

“I l-like you, Sousuke-san.”

He would have to come up with some—

“What?” The word fumbled out of his mouth when he finally processed Makoto’s words. The man’s face flushed even more than Sousuke thought possible. 

“I know I probably shouldn’t have said anything, b-but I spoke with Rin and Haru, and they said that I would only regret it if I didn’t. A-also, Rin said I was being cowardly for avoiding you, and—” 

The string of words rushed out of Makoto’s mouth so fast, Sousuke found it hard to understand what he was saying. Hoping to do more good than harm, Sousuke pulled Makoto into a hug. That effectively put a stop to Makoto’s ramble. 

His arms fit nicely around Makoto, and his heart skipped a little when tentative hands settled on his back. 

“I like you too, Makoto.” Sousuke felt his cheeks heat up after saying this. 

Surprised green eyes glanced up at him, “Really?”

It was barely above a whisper. 

Sousuke nodded, lips forming a grin. 

“I’m glad.” This was said with a smile just before a cheering voice was heard in the distance.

“Finally!”

Makoto gave a shy laugh as he dropped his head onto Sousuke’s shoulder, while Sousuke felt like he could spend the rest of his life with this man in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm adding this to the series just to keep it all organized. I am quite pleased with how this turned out, as far as sequels are concerned.

**Author's Note:**

> I am almost sure I will add more to this, but for now I'm very happy with how it turned out. I don't know why I have this headcanon of Sousuke being terrible with animals, and kids too. 
> 
> Comments are always appreciated!


End file.
